In law enforcement, how is "reasonable suspicion" defined?

Reasonable suspicion is defined as a belief based on specific facts or circumstances that suggest a person may be involved in criminal activity. This standard is crucial in law enforcement as it provides officers with a legal basis to stop and question an individual, or even to conduct a limited search if necessary.

In this context, "specific facts" refers to observable behaviors, situations, or information that lead an officer to suspect unlawful activity. This distinguishes reasonable suspicion from a mere hunch or gut feeling, which lacks the factual basis needed to justify enforcement actions. It's important to note that reasonable suspicion is a lower standard than “probable cause,” which is required for arrests or obtaining search warrants.

Other options reflect less concrete foundations for suspicion. A general feeling of unease or intuition about someone's character doesn't provide the same legal grounding as reasonable suspicion, since they do not rely on observable and factual evidence. Similarly, while evidence gathered from surveillance can potentially contribute to forming reasonable suspicion, it alone doesn't encapsulate the broader definition of the term.